Civic

A Minnesota Monk Goes From Tsunami Relief to Sesame Street

May 24, 2005

Source: Mankato Free Press

On May 24, 2005 the Mankato Free Press reported, "Whichever beloved feathered or furry “Sesame Street” character Bhante Sathi will be appearing with on two episodes of the PBS children’s program, he’s not talking. It’ll have to be a surprise next season for the millions of children who tune into the 35-year-old show every day. Being asked to be on the show in the first place was a pretty big surprise to Sathi, a Chanhassen-based Buddhist monk who lives in Mankato part time to teach meditation at...

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Tsunami Relief Work Stalled by Row between Hindu and Christian Groups

May 24, 2005

Source: BBC News

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4574799.stm

On May 24, 2005 BBC News reported, "Five months after the tsunami hit the southern coast of India, relief work has stalled in the southern state of Kerala after a row between Hindu and Christian groups. Right-wing Hindu groups are angry at the local administration for allowing Christian organisations to participate in the reconstruction of homes for the tsunami victims. They allege...

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Human Rights Activist Calls for Islamic Liberation Theology

May 24, 2005

Source: Muslim Wake Up!

http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2005/05/lily_munir_on_i.php

On May 24, 2005 Muslim Wake Up! reported, "Lily Zakiyah Munir is a leading Indonesian Muslim human rights activist. She is the director of the Jakarta-based Centre for Pesantren and Democracy Studies that works with the ‘ulama and students of Indonesian Islamic boarding schools or pesantrens. In this she interview speaks to Yoginder Sikand about her work...

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McDonald's Lawsuit Settlement Disbursed to Hindu Organization

May 23, 2005

Source: New California Media

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=c2c7b452fd874dd3b54e617625a704ee

On May 23, 2005 New California Media reported, "Gita enthusiast Ramananda Prasad has reason to be happy. His International Gita Society recently received a letter from McDonald's, the Oakbrook, Ill.-based fast food giant, saying that the society will be one of 24 recipients of the $10 million settlement the...

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Atheists Gather to Discuss Blurring of Line Between Church and State

May 23, 2005

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Atheists-Gathering.html?oref=login

On May 23, 2005 The New York Times reported, "to the uninformed, the gathering here may have seemed like a church revival, full of zeal and fervor. But worshipping God was most decidedly not part of the agenda. The attendees of the 'All Atheists Weekend' came together to discuss what they call the rise of fundamentalism in the U.S. and...

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Palos Heights Mosque Case Puts Spotlight on Religious Freedom

May 22, 2005

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-mosque22.html

On May 22, 2005 the Chicago Sun-Times reported, "although Al Salam Mosque Foundation's attorney Gregory Kulis is disappointed a federal court jury rejected the Muslim group's claims that Palos Heights violated its civil rights and kept it from building a mosque five years ago, he's glad the lawsuit put a glaring spotlight on the issue of religious freedom. 'We're glad we brought...

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Jury Rules That Palos Heights Did Not Violate Mosque Rights

May 22, 2005

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/05/22/jury_town_didnt_violate_muslims_rights/

On May 22, 2005 The Boston Globe reported, "a federal jury has found that a Chicago suburb didn't violate the civil rights of a Muslim group that claims city officials conspired to foil its plans to turn a vacant church into a mosque and school. The Al Salam Mosque Foundation sued the city of Palos Heights in...

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Some Express Reservations as Religious Hatred Bill Returns

May 20, 2005

Source: The Church of England Newspaper

http://www.churchnewspaper.com/news.php?read=on&number_key=5769&title=Anger%20as%20religious%20hatred%20bill%20returns

On May 20, 2005 The Church of England Newspaper reported, "Religious groups have spoken out fiercely against the reintroduction of the Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill, the plans of which were outlined in the Queen’s Speech this week....

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Interfaith Coalition Forms to Fight Hunger

May 20, 2005

Source: The Christian Post

http://www.christianpost.com/article/society/1597/section/interfaith.leaders.unite.against.hunger/1.htm

On May 20, 2005 The Christian Post reported, "More than 40 heads of state representing more than 100 million people of faith will be gathering next month for an interfaith convocation that religious leaders say will be unprecedented in U.S. religious history. Hunger No More, an interfaith...

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Native American Leaders Call for Boycott of Ski Resort Expansion

May 19, 2005

Source: New California Media

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=6613efc1dea421c6114a7dd2f5ce5d6f

On May 19, 2005 New California Media reported, "Navajo and Hopi tribal leaders and activists are calling for a boycott of the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Area, which has been approved by the Coconino Forest Service to expand its development of the sacred mountain 'San Francisco Peaks.'

The Peaks is located...

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Indian PM Urged to Take Up Denmark Student Kirpan Controversy

May 18, 2005

Source: Sikhnet.com/Tribune India

http://www.sikhnet.com/Sikhnet/news.nsf/SikhNetHPNewsHTML/F0334C265CD2E0DE87257004006D36A5?OpenDocument

On May 18, 2005 Tribune India reported, "A socio-academic and cultural organisation here has urged the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up the case of Ripudaman Singh, a Sikh student in Denmark, who has been declared guilty of carrying a six-inch kirpan by a local court there...

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Palos Heights Mosque Trial Heats Up

May 18, 2005

Source: Daily Southtown

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/18-ds1.htm

On May 18, 2005 the Daily Southtown reported, "a former Palos Heights alderman who spearheaded an effort to give a group of Muslims money so they wouldn't convert a church to a mosque five years ago testified Tuesday he had nothing but 'fiscal responsibility' in mind when he made the offer. Former Ald. Jim Murphy was called to testify as a hostile witness by attorneys for the Al...

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ACLU Files Suit Over Abstinence Program, Citing Religious Content

May 17, 2005

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/05/17/aclu_suit_sees_religious_content_in_abstinence_plan/

On May 17, 2005 The Boston Globe reported, "the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston yesterday challenging the US government's funding of a faith-based abstinence program called the Silver Ring Thing, arguing that the public...

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Palos Heights Denies Mosque Needed City Approval

May 17, 2005

Source: Daily Southtown

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/171nd1.htm

On May 17, 2005 the Daily Southtown reported, "lawyers for Palos Heights told a federal jury Monday a group of Muslims seeking to set up a mosque five years ago never needed the city's permission to do so, and mistakenly allowed municipal government — as well as some admittedly bigoted reactions — to influence what should have been a simple real estate transaction. The city is...

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